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Does anyone utilize (or have wired) a master "kill switch" on their layout?

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  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 2,775 posts
Posted by snjroy on Friday, January 1, 2021 11:10 AM

Hi there. Since I never really cared for night scenes, I connected my main power outlet in the train room to the same switch that controls my room overhead lights. I leave the room, turn off the switch and EVERYTHING gets shut off. I did not have this for my previous layout and I can't count the number of times where the power of my DCC system stayed on for days before I realized it. Problem solved!

Simon

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, January 1, 2021 11:05 AM

My Digitrax power supply is plugged into a power strip, with an off/on switch.

The only ciruit breaker/s I have, is what's already built into the DB150.

Mike.

  • Member since
    November 2019
  • 402 posts
Does anyone utilize (or have wired) a master "kill switch" on their layout?
Posted by The Milwaukee Road Warrior on Friday, January 1, 2021 10:47 AM

I'm not at the point of doing any wiring of my layout yet, but I'm curious about the idea of a kill switch that would shut down all power to a layout with one flip of a standard light switch.  Useful?  Redundant?

1) Is this sort of thing used by anyone?

2) Is it pointless to plan for something like this with the built in circuit protection in DCC systems? 

3) Given #2, is it even possible to wire up a single switch that would kill all power districts at once?  Related to this: would it be easier to have such a "master" switch when using DC or DCC?

Just curious.

 

Andy

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Milwaukee native modeling the Milwaukee Road in 1950's Milwaukee.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/196857529@N03/

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